AusBonsai

Hi fellow "bonsai - ites".
I wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy and safe 2012 (and, of course your "family" includes your little potted children"). It has been a while since I been on the site - no excuses.

My question, I have another which I will pose later with some photos, is this:
I was re-reading Peter Chan's book "Bonsai Secrets" and a few others (but I can't find the reference at the moment in Peter's book) and it refers to a style of bonsai where you use a dead piece of wood and then attach a small tree or sapling etc to the back of the dead wood, either by screwing the new tree's trunk into the dead wood with screws or with raffia etc until the "new" tree has attached itself to the old "dead" wood. The result is similar to a driftwood style but not quite. (I hope I don't sound too much like a dummy but I'm typing this from memory while I'm supposed to be making coffees and cakes at my sister's cafe!).
In Peter's book, and the other references, he says to make sure the "dead" wood is really dead and very dry and to then soak it in wood preservative for a few months and then let it completely dry for about 1 year or so. The preservative needs to have nothing in it that may leach out or is capable of adversely affecting the "new" tree.

Does anyone know what type or sort of wood preservative that would be suitable?

I have been to a few big hardware stores but they either didn't know what I was talking about or simply referred me to the paint dept. and was told to look at decking varnishes and oils.

Any help out there?
Thanks and bye for now.

Earls wood hardener acts as a preservative and supposedly is non toxic. Others may have other options

The style is a Phoenix Graft or Tanuki

Grant

There is a product called Earls wood hardener. Its a water based spray on formula that looks a bit milky when wet but dries clear. I have also used driftwood treated with lime sulphur/ white oil mix brushing several coats on and allowing to dry before planting up the tree. Make sure you rinse off the excess lime sulphur with water after applying it.

Hi Masby
Now you know it is illegal to post on the site while sitting a a Cafe eating Cake! Makes us all jealous

The Style you are Referring to is "Tanuki" or "Pheonix Graft". https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... enix_Graft
the process of Attaching a live tree to a Dead piece and thus bringing it back to life.

Do not know what you would soak in for a few months, but these days, either "lime sulfur" or Earls Wood hardener are great to use.
Some really great tanuki have been show and created so once searching back working, have a lookie see at some of the posts.

Ken

Thanks everyone for your replies. They were exactly on point and now I know what the style is called as well. Although it is illegal to post while eating cakes and coffee, I'm off to do just that anyway - thinking of all of you at the same time, of course!

mashby wrote:I'm off to do just that anyway - thinking of all of you at the same time, of course!

as a famous quote went.
"I blow Raspberries in you're general direction"

Enjoy the cake

Ken

The big green shed sells Earls but it's hard to find. Usually in the aisles where the fillers and bog are in a small pump bottle or a 2 litre bottle white with a brown label on them. The only thing that's a bit of a problem with Earls is it has a bit of a sheen to it after it dries. The label also says not to use it on timber that has been treated with borates or lime.

Tony

G,day Michael, I use Mallee root it is almost impervious to rot. I have had a piece on a tree since 1991, that piece was in a fish tank for 10 years previous to that.

Lime sulphur is all that has been used since I started using it for a Tanuki, apart from some very thin pieces, that broke off while re potting there is no sign of rot.

It might be hard to find now as the Government deemed it no good for firewood!!!:(((. As it cannot be sold for that, you might find it in exotic fish and bird suppliers.
Or go bush and see if you can find some or ask on site.

Cheers Pup

Thanks Tony and Pup.
Pup, funnily enough I was in Adelaide just before Christmas and accidentally found "Spirit of Bonsai", while on my way down to Victor Harbour. It seemed as most of the wood Barry Blackwell used in his Bonsai was Mallee roots from WA. He mentioned that a bloke from WA coll the mallee roots every year and then went to NSW and Vic and sold most of it and on the way back Barry bought was was left. I't sure of the bloke's name or where he comes from, although Barry did tell me. We used to Mallee roots all the time in our fire places and collected them from around Mullewa and out by Narrogin orrogin.
My dad used to get the roots but the truck load but mentioned the other hat he hadn't seen any for sale for a very long time. I might have to go on a hunting and gathering trip to see what I can find.